Chrysler Group to Help 'Close the Technology Gap' Among Michigan Students
02 Février 2006 - 3:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
* New program will award $87,000 to honor exemplary Michigan public
school educators in science, math, engineering and technology *
Deadline for applications is March 22, 2006; winners will be
announced in May AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Feb. 2 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/
-- The number of U.S. students graduating from college with a
degree in science, math, technology or engineering is rapidly
decreasing. According to a study commissioned by the National
Science Foundation, only six percent of the world's graduating
engineers are from the United States. Those numbers are far behind
other countries, such as India (36 percent), China (22 percent) and
Japan (10 percent). To help combat that trend and increase the
number of potential U.S. engineers, mathematicians and scientists,
the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund, in partnership with The New
Detroit Science Center, is creating a "Closing the Technology Gap
in Education" competition. The competition recognizes Michigan
public school teachers who are committed to stimulating students'
interest and academic achievement in math, engineering, science and
technological courses. Closing the Technology Gap in Education, in
its first year, will award grants totaling $87,000 to 30 teachers
and their respective schools to further promote innovative lessons
in the fields of math, science, engineering and technology.
Applications are being mailed to all Michigan public schools as
well as to every school superintendent. The winners will be
announced at an awards ceremony on May 13, 2006, at The New Detroit
Science Center. Gov. Jennifer Granholm is serving as the honorary
chair and Chrysler Group Chief Operating Officer Eric Ridenour will
host the event. "The decrease in the number of students pursuing
careers that require math, science and technical courses is a
reflection of U.S. students not being pushed to seek careers that
demand highly technical skills," said Ridenour. "Through our
Closing the Technology Gap awards competition, we want to shine the
spotlight on the educators who understand the importance of
science, math, engineering and technology. At Chrysler Group, we
look for the best and the brightest, and we want to encourage young
people to enter fields that require technical backgrounds. It's
imperative for our future workforce." "Perhaps the single most
important key to economic development is the one that opens the
doors to learning in the minds of our young ones today," said
Granholm. "In the knowledge economy, business and education are
linked; you cannot succeed at the former if you do not excel at the
latter." A total of 10 prizes will be awarded to each school level:
elementary, middle/junior and high school. First through
third-prize winners will receive $15,000, $7,500 and $3,000,
respectively. Winners who place fourth through 10th place will
receive $500 grants. The grants will go to schools and used to
build the science, math, engineering and technology curriculums.
"Students begin to decide at an early age whether they are
interested in science and math," said Science Center President
& CEO Kevin F. Prihod. "Once they start to dislike these
subjects, we have lost them as future engineers or scientists. The
Closing the Technology Gap in Education awards are so critical
because they recognize the teachers who keep math and science
interest alive during those critical years before college." All
applications must be submitted by March 22, 2006, to The New
Detroit Science Center. A panel of independent judges from
prestigious science, math, engineering and technology arenas,
including University of Michigan, Lawrence Technological University
and Detroit Area Pre-College Engineering Program (DAP-CEP), will
determine the 30 winners. Winners will be based on submissions that
clearly demonstrate unique, creative avenues for teaching students
math, science, technology and engineering skills while also
bringing passion and excitement to the classroom. For more
information, please contact Julie Flashner at 313.577.8400, ext.
424, visit the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund's website at
http://www.fund.daimlerchrysler.com/ or The New Detroit Science
Center at http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/ . First Call
Analyst: FCMN Contact: DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: Curtrise
Garner, +1-248-512-2712, , or David Elshoff, +1-248-512-2690, ,
both of Chrysler Group Web site:
http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.fund.daimlerchrysler.com/
http://www.detroitsciencecenter.org/
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